1When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them,

1When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them,

2the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.

2the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves.

3Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years."

3And the LORD said, "My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years."

4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also afterward--when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

4The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.

5The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

5When the LORD saw that man's wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time,

6The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.

6the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

7So the LORD said, "I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created--and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground--for I regret that I have made them."

7Then the LORD said, "I will wipe off from the face of the earth mankind, whom I created, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky--for I regret that I made them."

11Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with wickedness.

12God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.

12God saw how corrupt the earth was, for every creature had corrupted its way on the earth.

13So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

13Then God said to Noah, "I have decided to put an end to every creature, for the earth is filled with wickedness because of them; therefore I am going to destroy them along with the earth."

14So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.

14Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside.

15This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.

15This is how you are to make it: The ark will be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.

16Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.

16You are to make a roof, finishing the sides of the ark to within 18 inches of the roof. You are to put a door in the side of the ark. Make it with lower, middle, and upper decks."

17I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.

17Understand that I am bringing a flood--floodwaters on the earth to destroy every creature under heaven with the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will die.

18But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.

18But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives.

19You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.

19You are also to bring into the ark two of all the living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.

20Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.

20Two of everything--from the birds according to their kinds, from the livestock according to their kinds, and from the animals that crawl on the ground according to their kinds--will come to you so that you can keep them alive.

21You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them."

21Take with you every kind of food that is eaten; gather it as food for you and for them."